Figuring Out Echolocation

One of the most astonishing examples of human brain power is that of James Holman (1786-1857), who became the first blind person to circumnavigate the globe, mainly by foot on land. He maneuvered by echolocation, making clicking sounds that reverberated. This piece isn’t about his story, but it suggests that echolocation for the blind might be taught (Holman wasn’t born without vision) through feedback devices—perhaps even neuro-implanted feedback devices. MORE